Arthur j



(No Model.)

A. J. BARBER.- OVERSHOB ATTACHMENT.

No. 519,656. Patented May 8, 1894.

I 31we/wboz OLwLm/L W. m 41% NITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. BARBER, OF soDUs, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR on TWO-THIRDS TO ELLERA J. WHITTLETON AND MARTIN v. TEETOR, or SAME PLAoE.

OVERSHOE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 519,656, dated May 8, 1894.

Application filed September 4,1893.- Serial No. 484,736. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J BARBER, a resident of Sodus, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have inventedoertain new and useful Improvements in Overshoe Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same. Y

The invention relates to shoes and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device for retaining a shoe and particularly a rubber overshoe on the foot which shall'also be adapted to aid the puttingon and the suitable removal of such shoe; and it consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of a rubber shoe having the improved device applied thereto and Figs. 2- and 3 are sectional details.

Numeral 1 denotes an overshoe which may be of any desired style. In each side thereof near its upper edge and preferably directly above the forward part of the heel are secured eyelets 2 which though not essential to the operation of the improvement add to its durability. Through these eyelets passes a bent wire provided with coils 3 situated either in the eyelet or at the side thereof. From the coils the wire ends extend to the rear of the heel'and are made fast to the same. Their ends may be overlapped and secured to the shoe in any approved manner. For this purpose staples 4 having enlarged oval heads and portions 5 adapted to be clinched inside the shoe are very desirable. Similar staples or other like fastening devices are used to hold the wire to the sides of the heel.

The part6 normallystands at an angle to the main direction of the horizontal part 7and is provided with a loop 8 to aid in removing the overshoe from the inner one.

In operation the part 7 holds the upper edge of the overshoe open and in suitable position for the introduction of the ordinary shoe on the foot and prevents such edgefrom bending down or collapsing and interfering with the operation. The part 6 extends sufficiently high normally to embrace the foot just above the heel, but in putting on the overshoe it is sprung down to near the level of the shoe top near to and substantially parallel with the fastened part 7 of the wire. This can be effected by the heel of the shoe being introduced which presses part 6 down near part 7 whereupon part 6 slips past the heel and springs into the elevated position. When pressure is removed from said loop the part 6 immediately springs into its elevated position and will prevent the overshoe from falling off or from being drawn ofi accidentally. When it is desired to remove the shoe the toe of the opposite shoe or foot can be placed on the loop 8 and the part '6 sprung down upon the stifiened shoe top or upon the stiffener 7 and the overshoe held thereby until the inner shoe or foot is withdrawn. The stiff:

ness imparted to the shoe rim by the part 7 of the wire enables the force applied to the loop 8 held down upon it to be equally distributed in manner to prevent the buckling of the shoe sole as may occur when the usual toe piece on the heel is used, and the invention contemplates the disuse, when desired, of said piece such as ordinarily secured-near the heel bottom of an overshoe ,to facilitate its re moval.

I The device may be made of elastic wire having its surface coated in any suitable man ner and the size of the wire may be varied to suit the weight and size of the overshoe and the wire may be secured to the shoe by sewing or other means in lieu of staples.

The eyelets 2 may be sufficiently large'to receive and hold the coils, said coils being expanded and sprung into them, or the coil may be'single and situated inside the shoe. In such cases the device can be supplied with coils before its application to the shoe, but if the coils are situated outside the shoe and are too large to be pushed through the eyelets they must be formed in the wire after it has been passed through and to the outside of said eyelets.

The device would be operative were the eyelets omitted and simple holes in the shoe utilized and also if instead of coils 2 simple bends in the wire wereemployed but the construction illustrated and described above is deemed preferable. And furthermore the coils or bends of the wire at the junction of parts 6 and 7 may be made to embrace the edge of the shoe or to lie near without passing through it the part 6 being suitably fastened by staples, stitches or other fastenings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The device for retaining a shoe on the foot consisting of the spring wire having parts 6 and 7 the latter being secured to the top of the heel portion of the shoe and connected by a bend or coil with the part 6 normally standing at an angle of about forty-five degreesto the part 7 and adapted to embrace the foot or inner shoe near the upper part of the heel portion thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The device for retaining a shoe on the foot consisting of the spring wire having parts 6 and 7 the latter being secured to the top of the heel portion of the shoe and connected by a bend or coil with the part 6 normally standing at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the part 7 and adapted to embrace the foot or inner shoe near the upper part of the heel portion thereof said part 6 having a loop 8, substantially as set forth.

3. The device for retaining a shoe on the foot consisting of the spring wire having parts 6 and 7 the latter being secured to the top of the heel portion of the shoe and connected by a bend or coil with the part 6 normally standing at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the part 7 and adapted to embrace the foot or inner shoe near the upper part of the heel portion thereof, and eyelets 2 situated at the juncture of said parts near the top of the heel portion of the overshoe and secured therein, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR J. BARBER. Witnesses:

M. V. TEETOR, E. J. WHITTLETON. 

